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p>Minecraft bans are investigated by Microsoft By Kevin Rawlinson BBC News

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p>11 March 2015

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p>Microsoft Minecraft's owner is investigating reports that the Turkish government is planning to ban the game. The BBC is aware.

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p>A Turkish Family and Social Policies Ministry study found that the game promoted violence, according to local media.

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p>There were conflicting reports on what steps the government was planning to take in response.

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p>Some said it would request a court for a ban on the game. Others claimed it would request Microsoft to make modifications.

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p>According to the Haberturk newspaper, the ministry's report said: "Although the game can be seen as encouraging imagination in children, by letting them build houses, farmlands and bridges, mobs [hostile creatures] must be killed in order to safeguard these structures. In other words, the game is built on violence."

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p>'Social isolation'

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p>The report said some children may confuse Minecraft with reality and believe that torturing animals isn't causing any pain, the newspaper reported.

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p>It added the report was based on the experiences of a nine-year-old , and it suggested that playing Minecraft could cause "social isolation".

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p>Haberturk reported that the ministry's legal affairs division was directed to take the first steps towards banning Minecraft.

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p>According to Fatih Oke (a spokesperson for the Turkish Embassy in Washington DC), a ban is "out of the possibility".

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p>Christian Science Monitor was told by Mr. Oke that there will be no ban.

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p>"The game is not being banned and will not be banned.

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p>The Family and Social Policy Ministry does not have the authority to prohibit any product.

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p>"I know that this was what was said in the Turkish media, however, it's not true.

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p>"The ministry is unable to handle complaints.

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p>"In this instance, I was told that there were numerous complaints from parents regarding Minecraft's influence on children.

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p>"The ministry's purpose is to spread awareness."

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p>The government wouldn't be able to ban the game unilaterally. the game, it would have to convince a court to do so.

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p>Although Turkey is not known for its ban on gaming on computers There have been a few websites shut down in recent times.

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p>In the past year, both YouTube? and Twitter were temporarily blocked. Facebook had to block certain websites that slammed the Prophet Muhammad in January.

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p>'Creative freedom'

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p>A spokesperson for Mojang which produces Minecraft under the Microsoft umbrella after Microsoft purchased the game for $2.5bn (PS1.68bn) in September 2014, declined to respond directly to the reports.

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p>He said that "Minecraft is enjoyed in a variety of ways by a variety of players."

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p>"While many enjoy the creative freedom Minecraft and its tools offer some prefer the chance to explore a world without limits and share thrilling adventures with their friends.

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p>"We encourage players to collaborate to achieve success regardless of whether they're building, exploring, or adventuring.

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p>"The world of Minecraft can be a risky area: it's home to scary, genderless monsters that appear at the dark of night.

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p>"It may be necessary to ensure their survival.

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p>"If people find this level of fantasy conflict disturbing We would suggest they to play in Creative Mode, or to enable the Peaceful setting. https://telegra.ph/Robloxs-oof-Sound-is-Dead-Robloxs-oof-Sound-is-Dead-10-09 </p>

p>"Both of these options will prevent monsters from appearing all over the globe."

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p>Facebook complies with Turkey block

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p>26 January 2015

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p>Microsoft buys Minecraft for $2.5bn

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p>Turkish officials 'lift the ban on Twitter'

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p>3 April 2014

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